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15 N.C. 509

Moore v. . Watson

Supreme Court of North Carolina

Decided June 5, 1834

Supreme Court of North Carolina · decided 1834-06-05

Assumpsit for work and labour done, and materials furnished. At the trial before Mártir, Judge, at Bertie, on tbe last circuit, on -non assumpsit pleaded, the plaintiff produced an account containing the items of his demand and their amount, under which ivas set forth, in the hand writing of the defendant, a credit for a sum of money paid by him, and the balance due the plaintiff, after the ■deduction of the credit.

Decided 1834-06-05

Castor, Judge,

¶1 after stating the case-as above, proceeded as follows : — It is insisted here, on the part'ofthe defendant, that the rejection of this testimony was erroneous. Ve believe that this exception is well taken.— This is not a case where the parties have reduced their contract into writing, and parol evidence is offered to explain, vary or contradict it. The entries or memoran-da at the foot of the account, being in the handwriting ofthe defendant, although made subsequent to the action, and after the parties were at issue upon the matter in controversy, yet furnish presumptive evidence of his admission of the correctness of the charges therein contained, and is therefoi’c admissible testimony to establish an antecedent contract. But the circumstances accompanying the making of these entries ought to have been received, in order that the force of this presumption might be properly estimated, and correct inferences drawn from it by the jury. The [¡resumption was one of fact, and not of law. The instrument had no conclusive force which in law estops a party, and excludes the truth.

¶2 Per Curiam, — Judgment reversed.

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